Here is a follow-up on an earlier entry. In A Long Wait For A Paycheck, I posted an article that told the story of men who did work for the Town of West Roxbury at the eve of annexation, and were refused their pay from the City of Boston. As always, there was another side of the story, and here are presented a response and counter-response.
Boston Daily Globe March 8, 1878
West Roxbury District.
Has the City Oppressed the Workingmen? - Captain McDonald's Statement.
In reference to the statement published in yesterday's Globe about the city refusing to pay certain laborers their wages and compelling the men to sue for their money, Captain McDonald of Station XIII says that the city does not legally owe the men any money; that after the vote of annexation was passed, and before the act was consummated, a certain class being in the majority, illegally voted at a town meeting to appropriate $20,000 for work on the roads. Next day a gang of about 250 men with many teams swarmed into the gravel-pit working there at digging and carrying off the gravel, dumping it here and there on streets, or carrying it home. Notice was given to the Selectmen, and in three or four days a majority of the Board, accompanied by Captain McDonald, then Chief of Police, went to the pit and warned the men to desist, which they then did. Subsequently the Town Treasurer refused to pay their demands for compensation, hence the lawsuit. In the case of the two men who have been successful in court, it is said that those two were a part of the regular gang employed by the town, and had not been discharged.
West Roxbury District.
A Statement of the Claims of the Laborers Against the City
To the Editor of The Globe:
Sir: Statements having been made disputing the claims of the West Roxbury laborers, it may be well to state that the facts in the case are that $20,000 was appropriated by the Selectmen and the men were employed by the direction of two of the Selectmen with the knowledge of the whole Board. These laborers received no notice to quit work until the political opponents of the two Selectmen raised objections, when the men obtained their time from the respective overseers. Some of the latter were recognized and their men were paid, while the remainder were ignored, the alleged intent being to cast odium upon Mr Dolan. The statement that the cases of two of the men were different from the others is untrue, the latter being merely test cases. It is conceded that it is a matter of injustice towards the laborers to compel them, at great cost, to seek redress before the courts, in order to obtain their just dues. The original amount of the claims was about $1800, which has been increased to $6000 at the present time, and should the cases be continued for the next four years, the tax-payers will learn that it costs considerable for legal hire, even though paid by the year. The offer of the city officials to pay the claims with interest appears to be rather poor justice, considering that the costs are double the amount of the claims.
Laborer
Showing posts with label annexation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label annexation. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Jamaica Plain Becomes Boston
In October of 1873, the residents of the City of Boston, along with the residents of West Roxbury, Charlestown, Brighton and Brookline voted on the issue of annexation of each of the four latter towns to the city proper. The Boston Globe, in true booster spirit, editorialized strongly in favor of the expansion of the city. Bigger was better, and cities to the west were surpassing Boston in population. The following article, published the day before the referendum, gives a taste of the boosterism in its reporting of the two sides of the issue. Below the article is result of the vote the next day.
Boston Daily Globe October 7, 1873
West Roxbury
Enthusiastic Meetings in Favor of Union with Boston.
A large audience, composed in great part of the working classes of the town, assembled in the Town Hall of West Roxbury, last evening, to ratify the annexation project. Upon the platform were seated about twenty-five of the best known citizens, and the Eliot Brass Band was in attendance to furnish music for the occasion. The meeting was called to order by A.S. Brown, Esq., and Mr. John C. Pratt was chosen for permanent Chairman with a large number of Vice-presidents. John M. Galvin acted as Secretary. On taking the chair, Mr. Pratt made a brief speech in favor of the object for which the meeting was called, and introduced , as the first speaker, Mr. John M. Galvin of West Roxbury, who was received with hearty applause. Mr. Galvin, in a few eloquent words, spoke of annexation as sure to benefit the working class, in spite of all reports to the contrary. He hoped that not only would the estates of the rich be benefited, but that the humbler homes of the poor would be made more valuable, as well as more comfortable, and within reach of all the conveniences which appertain to a city.
The Hon. Patrick A. Collins of Boston was introduced amid great applause, and music by the band. He proceeded to deliver an earnest address in favor of annexation, and said that this was the era of great cities, when men were learning to consolidate interests; yet here was Boston, the second city of importance in the land, and at the head of art and literature, reckoned as below Chicago and St Louis by people in foreign lands, because its area is so circumscribed. St Louis could number 460,000 by taking in a circuit of fifteen miles; but Boston, by taking in the few towns within a circle of ten miles, as she should do, would increase her population to 500,000, and give her a rightful place among the cities of the world. Population, said Mr. Colling, has a great deal to do with inducing people to settle; but besides that, a great city can always incur expenses at less cost to its citizens, in proportion, than any small town. Having answered the general arguments against annexation, Mr. Collins proceeded to refute certain statements made in a circular issued by West Roxbury anti-annexationists, entitled "Independence better than Annexation." Boston proposed, said the speaker, to give West Roxbury pure water, more street lamps and better light, public music and the advantages of the renowned public library; and only those who are never in favor of improvement are opposed to annexation. The Bussey farm, that great extent of land paying nothing into the town treasury, would probably be taken by the City of Boston for a public park,instead of going to that land-grabbing educational institution, Harvard College. And if the town was annexed, not only would the public health be secured by a suitable and complete system of draining and sewerage, but steady and permenent work be found to a much greater extent then under the picayune Town Government which now prevails.
After some more music, Mr. L. Foster Morse of the Highlands was introduced as one of the Commissioners, appointed by the city to investigate the subject of annexing the towns adjacent. He read from statistics to show that Roxbury and Dorchester had been greatly benefited by united with Boston. The number of street lamps had been increased, and more policemen furnished, all from among the residents of the district. West Roxbury, with her seventy miles of streets, has 325 street lamps, mostly kerosene, and only ten policemen to guard that vast district. The Fire Department in Roxbury and Dorchester, so inefficient before annexation, has been excellently managed within the last few years. Why does Boston spend so much money on these newly annexed districts? Because the valuation of the land is greatly increased thereby; and the election of Gaston and Pierce to the Mayoralty is sufficient to show that Boston does not neglect its suburbs. The question of draining Stony Brook would be taken care of by Boston, if West Roxbury shall be a part of her, but cannot be properly cared for by the town as it is.
The Chairman, in referring to the statements in the anti-annexation circular that five-sixths of the land-holders in town were opposed to annexation, said that it was because they did not pay their proper share of taxation. Poor people are paying the taxes of the rich; land, however, does not vote in this country, but men, and these who are asking you to continue to pay their taxes will find out this fact tomorrow.
Mr. Albert Palmer, Representative from West Roxbury in the last Legislature, denounced the spirit of landed aristocracy, which calls the proposition of allowing the people to vote on annexation a "fraud," and would have only landlords vote on the question, as shown in the last opposition circular. After some further remarks by the Chairman and others, and some good music by the band, the meeting adjourned with cheers for annexation.
The friends of Town Government held no rally, but continued their efforts to the distribution of circulars setting forth the annexation project as having been "conceived in iniquity," and from which no good had or could come. The working men were warned that there would be a dearth of work for them in case of annexation, but, judging from the number of "hard-handed artisans" in attendence at the annexation meetin, and the enthusiasm which prevailed amongst them, the arguments of the "antis" produced very little effect. A crowd of unnaturalized persons beseiged the Selectmen's room, last evening, and were made voters in season to participate in the important contest which is to be decided today.
October 8, 1873
West Roxbury Annexation Vote
Yes: 720
No: 613
Boston Daily Globe October 7, 1873
West Roxbury
Enthusiastic Meetings in Favor of Union with Boston.
A large audience, composed in great part of the working classes of the town, assembled in the Town Hall of West Roxbury, last evening, to ratify the annexation project. Upon the platform were seated about twenty-five of the best known citizens, and the Eliot Brass Band was in attendance to furnish music for the occasion. The meeting was called to order by A.S. Brown, Esq., and Mr. John C. Pratt was chosen for permanent Chairman with a large number of Vice-presidents. John M. Galvin acted as Secretary. On taking the chair, Mr. Pratt made a brief speech in favor of the object for which the meeting was called, and introduced , as the first speaker, Mr. John M. Galvin of West Roxbury, who was received with hearty applause. Mr. Galvin, in a few eloquent words, spoke of annexation as sure to benefit the working class, in spite of all reports to the contrary. He hoped that not only would the estates of the rich be benefited, but that the humbler homes of the poor would be made more valuable, as well as more comfortable, and within reach of all the conveniences which appertain to a city.
The Hon. Patrick A. Collins of Boston was introduced amid great applause, and music by the band. He proceeded to deliver an earnest address in favor of annexation, and said that this was the era of great cities, when men were learning to consolidate interests; yet here was Boston, the second city of importance in the land, and at the head of art and literature, reckoned as below Chicago and St Louis by people in foreign lands, because its area is so circumscribed. St Louis could number 460,000 by taking in a circuit of fifteen miles; but Boston, by taking in the few towns within a circle of ten miles, as she should do, would increase her population to 500,000, and give her a rightful place among the cities of the world. Population, said Mr. Colling, has a great deal to do with inducing people to settle; but besides that, a great city can always incur expenses at less cost to its citizens, in proportion, than any small town. Having answered the general arguments against annexation, Mr. Collins proceeded to refute certain statements made in a circular issued by West Roxbury anti-annexationists, entitled "Independence better than Annexation." Boston proposed, said the speaker, to give West Roxbury pure water, more street lamps and better light, public music and the advantages of the renowned public library; and only those who are never in favor of improvement are opposed to annexation. The Bussey farm, that great extent of land paying nothing into the town treasury, would probably be taken by the City of Boston for a public park,instead of going to that land-grabbing educational institution, Harvard College. And if the town was annexed, not only would the public health be secured by a suitable and complete system of draining and sewerage, but steady and permenent work be found to a much greater extent then under the picayune Town Government which now prevails.
After some more music, Mr. L. Foster Morse of the Highlands was introduced as one of the Commissioners, appointed by the city to investigate the subject of annexing the towns adjacent. He read from statistics to show that Roxbury and Dorchester had been greatly benefited by united with Boston. The number of street lamps had been increased, and more policemen furnished, all from among the residents of the district. West Roxbury, with her seventy miles of streets, has 325 street lamps, mostly kerosene, and only ten policemen to guard that vast district. The Fire Department in Roxbury and Dorchester, so inefficient before annexation, has been excellently managed within the last few years. Why does Boston spend so much money on these newly annexed districts? Because the valuation of the land is greatly increased thereby; and the election of Gaston and Pierce to the Mayoralty is sufficient to show that Boston does not neglect its suburbs. The question of draining Stony Brook would be taken care of by Boston, if West Roxbury shall be a part of her, but cannot be properly cared for by the town as it is.
The Chairman, in referring to the statements in the anti-annexation circular that five-sixths of the land-holders in town were opposed to annexation, said that it was because they did not pay their proper share of taxation. Poor people are paying the taxes of the rich; land, however, does not vote in this country, but men, and these who are asking you to continue to pay their taxes will find out this fact tomorrow.
Mr. Albert Palmer, Representative from West Roxbury in the last Legislature, denounced the spirit of landed aristocracy, which calls the proposition of allowing the people to vote on annexation a "fraud," and would have only landlords vote on the question, as shown in the last opposition circular. After some further remarks by the Chairman and others, and some good music by the band, the meeting adjourned with cheers for annexation.
The friends of Town Government held no rally, but continued their efforts to the distribution of circulars setting forth the annexation project as having been "conceived in iniquity," and from which no good had or could come. The working men were warned that there would be a dearth of work for them in case of annexation, but, judging from the number of "hard-handed artisans" in attendence at the annexation meetin, and the enthusiasm which prevailed amongst them, the arguments of the "antis" produced very little effect. A crowd of unnaturalized persons beseiged the Selectmen's room, last evening, and were made voters in season to participate in the important contest which is to be decided today.
October 8, 1873
West Roxbury Annexation Vote
Yes: 720
No: 613
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